


A Small Step Forward

by creepy_shetan



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Genre: Community: comment_fic, Gen, M/M, Not-So-Secret Crush, Past Lives, Pre-Canon, Shitennou
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-08
Updated: 2014-12-08
Packaged: 2018-02-28 15:57:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2738363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creepy_shetan/pseuds/creepy_shetan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It may not seem like much, but, in spite of his fears, Jadeite is making progress.</p><p>(Originally posted 2014/12/7 as a fill for a prompt.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Small Step Forward

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Leni](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/gifts).



"You're staring again," Nephrite said quietly.

Startled, Jadeite quickly averted his gaze, but his eyes couldn't settle on a new place to look now that he'd been caught red-handed. He sighed and half-turned away from where Kunzite and Zoisite stood talking, their words not quite reaching Jadeite's ears but their periodical laughter did.

"Have you said anything to him yet?"

Jadeite looked down at where his hands nervously rested on the hilt of his sword in order to avoid the small frown now on Nephrite's face.

"I can't. He's too..." _Important_ , Jadeite wants to say. _While I'm expendable. He could easily replace me if he thought I was unfit to guard the prince. Guardians can't have distractions._

"Jadeite, hey," Nephrite said with a light shake of his shoulder to snap him out of his thoughts. "You may be the least experienced of us--"

Jadeite groaned and hid his face behind a hand. He could feel his ears warm a little. "I wish you wouldn't word it that way."

Nephrite smirked, pulling his friend closer with one hand and rustling his hair with the other. Jadeite groaned again and started to push him away. When Nephrite continued speaking, however, his tone was sincere, not playful. 

"...But you're still one of us. We trust each other, right? So be honest with him."

Jadeite stilled and slowly looked up with wide blue eyes. He looked for all the world like an autumn leaf barely clinging to its tree branch, like he could float away if the wind changed direction just slightly.

"Nephrite... Kunzite, he..." Jadeite looked away, his brows knitting together, "and then Zoisite..."

"What about Zoisite?" 

Both men turned to see their companions walking over to join them under the shade of the large oak tree.

"You look pale, Jadeite. Do you need to return to the castle?" Zoisite asked with a raised eyebrow and a note of concern in his voice.

"What? No, no, I'm fine," he tried to reassure Zoisite, but his eyes momentarily flickered over to Kunzite of their own accord as he spoke. "Really."

Although Zoisite hummed innocently and said nothing else, he too glanced at Kunzite before plopping himself down in the lush grass at their feet. 

"We were just talking about the prince and his secret love affair."

Kunzite scoffed in amusement. 

"It's not much of a secret at this point, Zoisite."

"No, not with the way he's been dreamily staring off into space whenever he has a free moment," Nephrite chimed in, sitting down next to the blond.

"It's a bit strange, isn't it?" asked Jadeite, his face thoughtful as he slowly sank to rest on his knees and his mind privately relieved for the change in topic. "I never thought I'd see someone from the Moon Kingdom here, let alone the princess."

"It's not just her visiting him," Kunzite said lowly, claiming the open spot between Zoisite and Jadeite and folding his legs underneath himself with one knee raised. He paused, not meeting anyone's questioning looks. "Prince Endymion has visited her as well."

The other three broke into a chorus of questions that Kunzite was quick to silence with a calmly raised open hand.

"I caught him returning one night. I'm not sure if he would have told me otherwise."

Nothing was overtly different in Kunzite as he relayed the information, but something about him made Jadeite's chest ache. Nephrite's words rang in his mind: _We trust each other, right? So be honest with him._

Kunzite wasn't just the leader of the prince's guardians -- he was the prince's closest confidant and had been for a long time. They all protected the prince together, but Kunzite's loyalty was more akin to fraternity than fealty. 

Seeing Kunzite hurt by the idea of Prince Endymion not confiding in him about something of such importance caused another stab of pain to hit Jadeite square in the chest. Before he could form a proper thought, his lips were moving.

"I..."

All three turned to Jadeite, but he only saw Kunzite's silvery gray eyes meet his own. He swallowed and tried again.

"I know he would have told you when he was ready." 

He said each word with care and conviction, and then, surprised with himself, Jadeite broke eye contact and tried to lighten the suddenly too-serious mood.

"Besides, we all know the prince is a terrible liar who can't keep a secret to save his life. I'll never forget that sculpture incident. He hardly lasted an hour."

Nephrite and Zoisite laughed at the memory, and although Kunzite smiled as well, he gave Jadeite a slow appraising look that the blond tried to ignore. Jadeite could still feel it, however, his skin growing hot and his palms dampening under his gloves.

Unseen by the others, Nephrite nudged Zoisite behind his back. The two shared a brief look. 

Not much longer now.

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt: Sailor Moon. any. It's tough to have a crush  
> The theme: Free for all (none/any)  
> Originally posted [here](http://comment-fic.livejournal.com/562317.html?thread=79167885#t79167885).  
> I only own the writing.
> 
> For the curious... Preteen me is shocked that I've actually written and posted a SM fic. Current me is shocked that Mamoru isn't the focus and that Setsuna isn't even mentioned. XD;


End file.
